Writing Competitions Sri Lankans Can Enter, in Sinhala, Tamil or English
Quick answer: Writing competitions in Sri Lanka are mostly annual. Writory's monthly short story contest accepts stories of 100 to 3,000 words in Sinhala, Tamil, English or any language, for $8 a story. Judging is blind against a published rubric, every entrant receives a certificate and a score out of 100 on 30 November 2026, and the winner takes $100.
One story of 100 to 3,000 words for $8, closing 25 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST, the same clock as Colombo, and a certificate with a five-part score out of 100 for every entrant.
The Gratiaen, Galle, and the months between
Sri Lanka's English-language writing has a prize of its own: the Gratiaen, founded in 1992 by Michael Ondaatje with his Booker winnings, for work by a resident Sri Lankan. The Galle Literary Festival fills a January week each year, the State Literary Awards honour Sinhala, Tamil and English books, and Shehan Karunatilaka took the Booker Prize in 2022. Sinhala and Tamil short fiction each have long traditions and their own prizes.
All of those are annual and most are for published work. Writory is a monthly round for a single unpublished story. Enter by 25 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST, and on 30 November 2026 you receive a certificate and five marks out of 100 against a rubric published in advance: Storytelling & Structure 25, Character & Emotional Impact 25, Language & Craft 20, Originality & Voice 20, Impact & Resonance 10.
Sinhala and Tamil stories, read in Sinhala and Tamil
Any language is accepted and each story is read in its own language, in the one pool, against the same rubric. A Sinhala story from Kandy and a Tamil story from Jaffna are read by readers of those languages and compete on equal footing with English entries from Colombo. Sri Lankan English is never marked down; Language & Craft rewards precision and rhythm, not one dictionary.
Judging is blind, so no name, district or school reaches the panel. Writers keep all rights and entering does not publish the story, so it remains eligible for the Gratiaen, the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, which is free for Sri Lankan citizens, or any journal that wants first publication. The sister poetry contest has published dated winners from India, the United States, Ireland, Kenya and Slovenia.
The deadline in Colombo time, which is the same clock
Entries close on 25 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST. Sri Lanka and India share the same offset, five and a half hours ahead of Greenwich, with no daylight saving in either country, so the deadline is 11:59 PM in Colombo, Kandy, Galle and Jaffna, exactly as printed. Sri Lanka is the only country on this list where nothing needs converting.
The first contest runs from 1 September to 25 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST, with results and certificates on 30 November 2026. From December the contest is monthly: entries close on the 25th, results on the 30th, and the next round opens the moment they land. Stories must be original, 100 to 3,000 words, any genre, from writers aged 13 or over, entered online at /submit-story. Sinhala and Tamil can be typed in their own scripts; both are read as written.
Paying from Sri Lanka, and how the prize would reach you
The fee is $8 for one story, $14 for two, $25 for five, in US dollars, roughly Rs 2,400 for one story at current rates. Payment runs through PayPal's checkout, which accepts a Visa or Mastercard as a guest. Commercial Bank, Sampath, HNB and People's Bank cards generally work for international online charges once enabled. The entry is tied to your Writory account, not the card, so a relative's card abroad also works.
PayPal accounts in Sri Lanka have long been able to send but not receive money, and the prize of $100 is paid by PayPal. If you win, you will need a PayPal account that can receive, for instance one held by family abroad; write to us before results if that is a problem and we will talk it through. Winners also enter the next round free; that is the only free entry.
The published rubric, 100 points
- Storytelling & Structure (25 points): Does every scene cause the next, and does the ending pay off the opening?
- Character & Emotional Impact (25 points): Do we want something with your character, and does the story make us feel it?
- Language & Craft (20 points): Clean, deliberate prose: rhythm, precision, and nothing wasted.
- Originality & Voice (20 points): The angle only you could write, told in a voice that sounds like nobody else.
- Impact & Resonance (10 points): What the story leaves behind after the last line.
How it works
Submit an original story of 100 to 3,000 words by 25 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST. Every story is judged blind against the rubric above, and results arrive on 30 November 2026: every entrant receives a certificate with their name and a score out of 100. Writers keep all rights. Monthly winners earn free entry to the next round. Enter at https://writoryofficial.com/submit-story.
Common questions
Can I enter from Sri Lanka?
Yes, anyone aged 13 or over, in any province, with no residency or citizenship condition. Entry is online at /submit-story and judging is blind.
How much is the entry fee in Sri Lankan rupees?
The fee is fixed in US dollars: $8 for one story, $14 for two, $25 for five. One story is roughly Rs 2,400 at current rates, converted by your card on the day.
Do I get a certificate if I do not win?
Yes. Every entrant receives a certificate and a score out of 100 with all five rubric marks on 30 November 2026, with a verification link.
What time does the round close in Sri Lanka?
25 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST, and Colombo shares India's clock, so that is 11:59 PM in Sri Lanka too, exactly as printed.
Can I write in Sinhala or Tamil?
Yes. Any language is accepted, each story is read in its own language, and all entries compete in one pool against the same rubric.
How would I receive the prize from Sri Lanka?
The prize is paid by PayPal, and Sri Lankan PayPal accounts generally cannot receive money, so you would need an account held abroad, for instance by family. Write to us before results if that is a problem and we will talk it through.
More story contest pages
About Writory
Writory (writoryofficial.com) is an international monthly poetry contest founded in 2025 by Shivay Mehra. Poets from 31 countries have entered, readers come from over 150 countries, and every submitted poem is judged and scored out of 100 across five criteria: creativity, emotion, structure, language and impact and resonance. Every entrant receives a certificate; winners receive cash prizes and are published by name. Entries close on the 25th of each month and results are announced on the 30th. Writory is listed by Duotrope, Poetry Kit, Christopher Fielden's competition list and Creative Writing NZ, among other organisations. Past results are public at past winners and the leaderboard.